MLS All-Star Game Entertains in Portland

Major League Soccer’s best played Bayern Munich in Portland on Wednesday in an entertaining game before a crowd of 21, 733. The All-Stars ran out victors, 2-1.

This is the eleventh year foreign competition has lined up. Before that, the league’s Western conference played the East. Major League Soccer is in its 18th year of play. Bayern Munich is in its 114th.

Bayern took the field to loud applause. Many fans were wearing their jerseys. And they celebrated when Robert Lewandowski scored in the 8th minute with a blistering shot. Lewandowski arrived in Munich from rivals Borussia Dortmund earlier in the summer.

Nick Rimando, of Real Salt Lake, destined for the goalie shirt of the USA once Tim Howard retires his gloves, made impressive saves. Between the sticks, America should continue to be in safe hands.

Unperturbed at being one down, the all-stars focused on the task of finding the equalizer. New York Red Bulls and World Cup winner with France in 1998, Thierry Henry, 36, delighted with his poise and grace. He delivered a spectacular shot in the 40th minute that came close.

USA stars, Clint Dempsey and Michael Bradley, were in able support. Graham Zusi and DeAndre Yedlin, provided the pace from the wing.

In the 37th minute, Bayern switched Claudio Pizarro for Julian Green, 19, the US international. He scored a goal for the USA against Belgium at the World Cup in Brazil. The Portland crowd is renowned for their voluble singing. He came on to chants of USA! USA! Green represents the future for US soccer.

The second half exhibit allowed the teams to show their riches. Frequent substitutions opened the showing. Thierry Henry departed to hearty cheers, his 4-year involvement with MLS a significant part of the league’s rising credibility. His retirement is on the horizon. Landon Donovan was his replacement, the LA Galaxy veteran playing in his 14th consecutive All-Star game.

In the 50th minute, the all-stars industry was rewarded. Bradley Wright-Philips of New York Red Bulls, netted a screamer into the top corner. Providence Park erupted. A foreshadow for the decibels set to rise.

In the 69th minute, the Donovan effect played out. Bursting through the defense, the veteran slotted the ball into the net, beating Germany’s national team goalie, Manuel Neuer. The all-stars were now set on protecting their lead.

The German champions introduced their World Cup stars. Mario Gotze, Philipp Lahm, Thomas Mueller and Bastian Schweinsteiger ran on to the appreciation of the crowd. But Bayern’s efforts to snatch a late equalizer were in vain.

The game marred by two yellow cards given to the all-stars, Seattle Sounder, Osvaldo Alonso and Will Johnson of the Portland Timbers. One resulted in an ankle injury to Schweinsteiger.

Bayern coach, Josep Guardiola, was understandably unhappy with a key player being injured in a friendly, weeks before the Bundesliga season is set to commence. He remonstrated with the all-star coach, Portland’s Caleb Porter. Unfortunately, Guardiola did not shake hands with him at the end of the game.

Post-game, Guardiola praised the people of Portland for the reception his team received and shared his thoughts on US soccer. “I think football is getting better year by year and the federation is making a very, very good job and I think the teams are getting better; physical, stronger. But, I think it’s still remains a step below the big clubs in Europe and South America but that is normal. In South America and Europe it is cultural. You just have to try and see what you can do to make it better.”

Guardiola hoped that his team would get a chance to play against the all-stars next year, when “we can get revenge,” he said, in a jocular way. “ We will prepare much better. I hope our invitation is coming.”

Caleb Porter played down the breach with his counterpart. “It was such a small part of tonight. There is really no reason for me to talk about it. Coaches get heated…like I said, there was so much good to talk about during the game. For me there is no reason to make that the story.”

He focused on the good side. “I thought it was a fun game. Exciting. Our fans, everybody, were tremendous. I thought they really added to the atmosphere and made it a wonderful night and a great celebration for our sport in this country, this league, Major League Soccer, and, more than anything, the players that we have, the commodities that we have in our league.”